The trade balance deficit (FOB/CIF) in the first half of 2023 stood at 13.323 billion euros, less by 2.149 billion euros (-13.9 pct) than the one reported between January 1 and June 30, 2022, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INS).
In June 2023, FOB exports totaled 7.745 billion euros and CIF imports totaled 10.013 billion euros, resulting in a deficit of 2.268 billion euros. Compared to June 2022, exports in June 2023 decreased by 1.5 pct, and imports decreased by 5.2 pct.
In the first six months of this year, FOB exports totaled 47.425 billion euros, recording an advance of 5.9 pct, and CIF imports totaled 60.749 billion euros, up 0.8 pct, compared to the same period in 2022 .
According to the INS, between January 1 and June 30, 2023, important shares in the structure of exports and imports are held by the following groups of products: machines and transport equipment (45.1 pct for export and 36.3 pct for import) and other manufactured products (30.2 pct for export and 28.8 pct for import).
The value of intra-EU27 exchanges of goods in the first half of the year was 34.549 billion euros in shipments and 44.629 billion euros in imports, representing 72.9 pct of total exports and 73.5 pct of total imports.
The value of extra-EU27 exchanges of goods in the period January 1 – June 30, 2023 was 12.876 billion euros for exports and 16.119 billion euros for imports, representing 27.1 pct of total exports and 26.5 pct of total imports.